General Discussion

On Monday evening, Senate Republicans released a proposed $70 billion(ish) immigration funding package — with an extra $1 billion tucked in it for an “East Wing Modernization Project.”

Calling Trump’s project a “modernization” falls well short of reality — he destroyed the East Wing last year — but he is in the process of building a massive new ballroom in its place, as well as a deeply buried underground bunker, replacing the previous Presidential Emergency Operations Center located under the East Wing.

The bill text specifies that none of that $1 billion may be used for “non-security elements” of the project, but it’s unclear how seriously the White House might take that limitation; previously, Trump and his lawyers have described the entire ballroom as a national security priority.

https://www.vox.com/the-logoff-newsletter-trump/487878/trump-white-house-ballroom-senate-republicans-security-funding